I’d rather include everything than have another separate contest that will have low participation.

This is how I see it. And for the fact that I didn't even know the Shadow cover was a pulp and not a comic so *shrugs*

But ultimately this is my consensus.

I think it's good that we may potentially broaden the scope. I have seen very few pulp covers, for instance.

The John Byrne Forum is the place to go if you want strict *must-never-break* rules (and if you mistakenly break them, or don't know you've broken them, a mod will delete a post and not tell you why). Here, it's more open and flexible, which is good.

I wouldn't advocate posters, LPs, movie screenshots, etc.

For me, as long as there's a story inside, visual or text, I'm fine. But I appreciate everyone has their viewpoint.

Here's the thing; ultimately, this is for fun and there is no prize of cash value. If we win, it is because a majority voted for our cover, which is great. I don't see a need for tight, restrictive rules, since nothing but ego and adulation is at stake. If we were giving away something with cash value, then I would advocate strict guidelines. For this, all we end up doing is making things so narrow that you limit the variety. With that said, I doubt anyone who consider a work of prose fiction or one with spot illustrations, like a Scribner's Edition of Treasure Island, for example. To me, a pulp novel is still a prose work. It is an antecedent to comics in providing inspiration for characters and story structure; but, they only had spot illustrations, just like a Scribner's. A picture book is a debatable point, since words and pictures are working together to tell the story,across the entire length of the book. It is a sequence of events and the only real difference between Dr Seuss and Jeff Smith is the number of illustrations used in the story, and text dialogue vs word balloons. Newspaper comic strips and trade collections would also tend to fall on the side of a comic book and they are the real antecedent of the form of the comic book. A proto-graphic novel, like Blackmark, or It Rhymes with Lust would seem to fit, as sequential narratives. A Big Little Book is a definite fence sitter. If you consider it a comic, then picture books pass that same test. If you allow it just because comic book and omic strip characters appeared in them, then juvenile superhero picture books or superhero prose novels would seem to also apply. heck, movie posters should then be fair game.

See what I mean? For every rule, we would probably generate a lot of "Well, what about...." I', happy with, "If you don't think it fits, don't vote for it." Plain and simple and gives wiggle room, where appropriate. To be honest, I don't usually vote in the contests or post likes. I appreciate what everyone brings to things; but, don't want to create a situation of "Why did he like that one but not mine, or why did he vote for that cover?" I have a blanket "like" for everyone who participates in a discussion and posts an image for everyone to enjoy.

Comic books, Graphic Novels and Magazines like SSOC or Creepy, but not industry magazines like Wizard.